Just curious: how do you tell others what you do? Forum

[los blancos]

"I work for a judge."

TITCR

[IAFG]

What school is going to be confused with WUSTL? GW?

I assume University of Washington, which is a peer school IMO, so I don't know what there is to get your panties in a twist about.

[IAFG]

If you have to explain to someone why your job is prestigious, you will never convince them that it is. People know what they're impressed by. Being a research monkey for a judge ain't it.

[msridiculous447]

What school is going to be confused with WUSTL? GW?

I assume University of Washington, which is a peer school IMO, so I don't know what there is to get your panties in a twist about.

For real. WUSTL is ranked 19th. GW is 21st. Washington&Lee is 26th and UW is 28th. Does it really matter if someone thinks you go to #21 instead of 26?

[rad lulz]

OP if you were really cool youd tell people you work in banking or something actually prestigious

[NYstate]

For all you law clerks out there, how do you tell other non-lawyers what you do exactly? I tried telling even my own dad about what I did. He was like, "law clerk?? Oh, that doesn't sound too good at all, son, sorry." I tried to explain to him that it was a great job, but he couldn't get past the job title. He pretty much thinks I'm filing papers and shuffling around folders for some hokey judge.

During casual conversations and dinner parties and whatever, how do you tell people what you do? Are you unlike me and not so concerned about how other people perceive you, so you just say "I'm a law clerk to a judge"? Do you give a quick snappy answer that doesn't understate what you do? Just curious.

Your dad sounds like a boomer. People who matter for getting jobs understand what a law clerk is.

[IAFG]

OP if you were really cool youd tell people you work in banking or something actually prestigious

A friend found a guy's OKC profile that said he worked in finance and warned women not to ask him if he works in the front or back office.

So now we know: back office.

[rad lulz]

OP if you were really cool youd tell people you work in banking or something actually prestigious

A friend found a guy's OKC profile that said he worked in finance and warned women not to ask him if he works in the front or back office.

So now we know: back office.

top lel

[09042014]

Is anyone who didn't clerk, ever really that impressed by it?

[IAFG]

Is anyone who didn't clerk, ever really that impressed by it?

Or even people who did clerk. Seems like people who wanted to clerk but couldn't would be the most impressed.

I'm impressed by SCOTUS clerks... OP, are you a SCOTUS clerk?

[A. Nony Mouse]

nvm, behind the conversation.

[lolwat]

I assume University of Washington, which is a peer school IMO, so I don't know what there is to get your panties in a twist about.

This and GW. It's not so much about peer school or otherwise. It's more that the fact they get it confused means they haven't heard of my school, which then leads to an awkward "SO HEY IT MUST'VE BEEN AWESOME LIVING IN DC/SEATTLE!" to which I'd then have to explain that it was in St. Louis, which leads to blank stares and "um, oh..." It also generally means they suddenly think I went to a TTT because they've never heard of it.

Anyway, sorry if I came across as irritable in this thread, I'm pretty fucking stressed out right now and the people who see me post regularly know that this is fairly uncommon. I do, as a general matter, care about what people I talk to think about me, because if I'm talking to them, they're either not a random person or they're about to not be a random person. I rarely talk to people that are truly random, and I live in a city small enough that many people know each other; if I'm talking to someone, chances are VERY good that I know someone that they know. I used to really not give a shit what people thought about me, but quite honestly, what non-random people think about me generally has an effect (either direct or indirect) on my life. And someone thinking I'm actually a lawyer that does legal work for a judge will treat me differently than someone that thinks I just grab coffee for the judge and make copies all day.

[Balthy]

As common on TLS, everyone tends to read unnecessary shit into things that aren't meant to be what they think it is. But that's cool. Not going to get into it any more because this discussion has turned stupid as hell, but I simply don't like my job being confused with others, just like I don't like my school being confused with others with similar names. (Fucking WUSTL.)

Why do you give a shit what randos think of your school or your job?

Because most people care about what others think about them, including matters of job, school, family, success etc. But I don't think you're actually unaware of that. I think, by rephrasing the same question 3 times within this thread alone, you're just trying to prove a point about how secure you are. The OP cares, that is all.

Pop psychology, but probably right on the money.

Or bk is a Buddhist monk and truly does not understand our flawed Western ways.

[bk1]

Because most people care about what others think about them, including matters of job, school, family, success etc. But I don't think you're actually unaware of that. I think, by rephrasing the same question 3 times within this thread alone, you're just trying to prove a point about how secure you are. The OP cares, that is all.

I'm not unaware and I'm not making any statement about myself. My point was that OP should learn to not care.

[bk1]

I assume University of Washington, which is a peer school IMO, so I don't know what there is to get your panties in a twist about.

This and GW. It's not so much about peer school or otherwise. It's more that the fact they get it confused means they haven't heard of my school, which then leads to an awkward "SO HEY IT MUST'VE BEEN AWESOME LIVING IN DC/SEATTLE!" to which I'd then have to explain that it was in St. Louis, which leads to blank stares and "um, oh..." It also generally means they suddenly think I went to a TTT because they've never heard of it.

Anyway, sorry if I came across as irritable in this thread, I'm pretty fucking stressed out right now and the people who see me post regularly know that this is fairly uncommon. I do, as a general matter, care about what people I talk to think about me, because if I'm talking to them, they're either not a random person or they're about to not be a random person. I rarely talk to people that are truly random, and I live in a city small enough that many people know each other; if I'm talking to someone, chances are VERY good that I know someone that they know. I used to really not give a shit what people thought about me, but quite honestly, what non-random people think about me generally has an effect (either direct or indirect) on my life. And someone thinking I'm actually a lawyer that does legal work for a judge will treat me differently than someone that thinks I just grab coffee for the judge and make copies all day.

You hang out with some strange non-rando people.

[danquayle]

I just tell people I'm a dockworker.

Talking law to law to non-lawyers produces the most boring conversations. Hell, talking law to lawyers does too. I usually avoid it. And it really isn't likely to impress the people you care to impress anyway. Follow the thread's advice, just tell them you work for a judge and leave it at that.

Instead, impress them with your dazzling charisma.

[Doorkeeper]

"I work for a judge."

"Oh, what does that entail?"

"I help her do everything she needs help with."

"Oh, cool. That sounds ______."

This has been every convo I've had with non-lawyers almost verbatim.

Rampant feminist trolling.

[A. Nony Mouse]

"I work for a judge."

"Oh, what does that entail?"

"I help her do everything she needs help with."

"Oh, cool. That sounds ______."

This has been every convo I've had with non-lawyers almost verbatim.

Rampant feminist trolling.

Oh for god's sake.

[Balthy]

Seriously, this sounds like a perfectly good scenario to just lie. If they won't understand anyway, just regurgitate the last badass thing you remember Harvey Specter doing on suits.

[Kikero]

"I spend most of my time in the courthouse. I've never lost a case."

[Citizen Genet]

What school is going to be confused with WUSTL? GW?

I assume University of Washington, which is a peer school IMO, so I don't know what there is to get your panties in a twist about.

For real. WUSTL is ranked 19th. GW is 21st. Washington&Lee is 26th and UW is 28th. Does it really matter if someone thinks you go to #21 instead of 26?

This guy is trying to figure out how to make sure people know he has a super prestigious job. So for him, obviously 28 to 19 matters.

OP, just try this, "I graduated from a Top 19 school and work for a judge who was personally appointed by the President of the United States of America. I perform research on lofty and important legal issues of our time. Please don't bother me."

[los blancos]

OP, just try this, "I graduated from a Top 19 school and work for a judge who was personally appointed by the President of the United States of America. I perform research on lofty and important legal issues of our time. Please don't bother me."

Am I the only one who thought this was a Joad post?

[Anonymous User]

This reminds me of four conversations I had about my clerkship:

(1) The day I landed my clerkship I was in tears and my joy was uncontrollable. I explained to my wife that I had just landed a job as a clerk with a federal COA judge, and she was dumfounded. First she asked why I was so excited to be a judge’s secretary. Then she figured clerks were paid a ton and that’s why I was so happy. When I told her what clerks were paid (which is a portion of what I made pre-law school) she said “you quit your former job where you made more and you worked really hard in law school, I do not understand why you’re so excited.” (She’s a good girl, but doesn’t have the type of career where a prestigious position can help your career or where people really think about quality of life and the importance of the work when deciding where to work, so she just couldn’t relate).

(2) My wife’s boss asked me if I would be ironing the judge’s robes. (This was a joke. He’s a funny guy, but it was clear that he didn’t really get it either).

(3) When I explained to a family member that clerks do leg work for judges and dig through the pleadings and research the law to assist the judge, she thought it was highly immoral and that the judge was slacking. She thought that the president and senate selected him to be a judge, and that he should be doing all his own research.

(4) My cousin asked me if I was paid, or if clerking was a volunteer type position.

I didn’t care, I just thought it was funny how little the public knows about what clerks do, or that clerks even exist.

[Pokemon]

I just tell people I'm a dockworker.

Talking law to law to non-lawyers produces the most boring conversations. Hell, talking law to lawyers does too. I usually avoid it. And it really isn't likely to impress the people you care to impress anyway. Follow the thread's advice, just tell them you work for a judge and leave it at that.

Instead, impress them with your dazzling charisma.

Told my dentist I am a law student. I was questioned throughout the entire process, non stop, while my mouth was open, about the trayvon martin case. Usually appointments last like 20 minutes... this time it was like 45 minutes. The worse thing is that I knew very little about the case.

[danquayle]

I just tell people I'm a dockworker.

Talking law to law to non-lawyers produces the most boring conversations. Hell, talking law to lawyers does too. I usually avoid it. And it really isn't likely to impress the people you care to impress anyway. Follow the thread's advice, just tell them you work for a judge and leave it at that.

Instead, impress them with your dazzling charisma.

Told my dentist I am a law student. I was questioned throughout the entire process, non stop, while my mouth was open, about the trayvon martin case. Usually appointments last like 20 minutes... this time it was like 45 minutes. The worse thing is that I knew very little about the case.

Right. Half of my conversations end up devolving into an explanation that I don't do criminal or con law, then trying to explain what I actually do, capped off with a "so, wait, you work as a lawyer right?"

So I just avoid it. But plenty of people still seem to value a lawyers opinion sight unseen. Which is insane given our standards. I probably remember less about the constitutionality of NSA wiretapping than a 1L one month into con law. But its fun to play along sometimes.

Unless you're arguing cases before SCOTUS, I think for most lawyers, the more you detail what you actually do as your job, the less impressed people will be. So if impressing your friends and rivals is your thing, remain mysterious. Like Johnny Depp before he made too many Disney movies.